Llanilar War Memorial

Llanilar is a village and parish which lies about two miles south-east of Aberystwyth. The village was built along the southern
side of the River Ystwyth. The church is dedicated to St Hilary, and within its grounds is the War Memorial to the men of the village who fell during both World Wars; one in the Great War and one in
the Second World War.

The Great War, 1914-1918

David Morris Evans, Private, 493795, London Regiment. David was born at Penbont, Llanilar, the son of Thomas
Evans. Thomas later resided at 4, Chalybeate Street, Aberystwyth, whilst David moved to London to work. He resided at Battersea prior to the war, and enlisted there into the 1st Battalion, London
Regiment, but was later transferred into the 1/13th Battalion (Kensington), London Regiment, which was attached to 168 Brigade, 56th (London) Division. The Division saw its first major action at the
diversionary attack on Gommecourt on 1 July 1916, and fought on the Somme at Ginchy, Flers and Morval, where they captured Combles. They wintered on the Somme, and followed the German retreat to the
Hindenburg Line in March 1917 before taking part in the Battle of Arras. David was killed at Arras on 12 May 1917, aged 31. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.

Morgan David Evans, Private, 27403, South Wales Borderers. Morgan was the son of Robert and Elizabeth Evans, of
Erwllan, Lledrod, Llanilar. He enlisted at Brecon into army and at sometime in 1916 was posted to France, joining the 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to the Pioneer Battalion
to the 25th Division. The division fought throughout the Battle of the Somme, and then moved to Ploegsteert, where they held the line for the months leading up the Battle of Messines in June 1917.
After fighting at Messines, the Division moved north, and fought at Pilckem, before moving south again, where it took up positions around Bullecourt in reserve. Here the Division was used to
reinforce the badly depleted British units that were hit in the area by the German Spring Offensive. Morgan was killed in action on the first day of the offensive, on 21 March 1918, aged 28. He has
no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. Morgan does not appear to be commemorated locally.

Thomas Flood, Private, 37562, Welsh Regiment. Thomas lived in Llanilar prior to the war. He enlisted at
Aberystwyth into the army, and was posted to France on 4 August 1915, joining the 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was attached to 84 Brigade, 28th Division. The division moved from Flanders to
the Loos battlefield during September 1915, to take part in the latter stages of the Battle of Loos. Thomas was killed in action during an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 2 October 1915. He has
no known grave, and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.

David Parry, MSM, 135523, Royal Air Force. David was the son of William and Sarah Parry. His parents were from
Llanilar, but had moved to London just prior to his birth on 7 January 1877. David worked as a Clerk for London County Council prior to the war and enlisted into the Royal Flying Corps as a clerk.
David survived the war and was still in France attached to 6th Wing Headquarters, Royal Air Force when he died on 25 December 1918, aged 40. He is buried in Joinville-Le-Pont Communal Cemetery,
France. David was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his work in France. He is not commemorated locally.

David Thomas, Private, 11764, Gloucestershire Regiment. David was born in Llanilar in 1883, the son of Evan and
Margaret Thomas. The family had moved to 20, Prospect Place, Ystradfodwg by 1901. David enlisted at Pentre into the 8th (Service) Battalion, Gloucester Regiment, which was attached to 57 Brigade,
19th (Western) Division. David landed in France with the battalion on 18 July 1915, and the division assembled before moving to positions north of Loos, near Givenchy. The Battle of Loos was launched
on 25 September 1915, and the 19th Division made a disastrous diversionary assault near Givenchy, suffering hundreds of casualties. David was killed in action during a routine period in the trenches
on 17 December 1915, aged 33. He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, France. David does not appear to be commemorated locally.

David Watkin, Private, 355973, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. David was born in Llanilar in 1885, the son of Thomas and
Jane Watkin. The family had moved to London by 1901. David enlisted at St. Pancras into the Welsh Horse Yeomanry on 25 April 1916. He married Rosalind Charlton, of 97, Nightingale Buildings, St.
John's Wood, London on 9 January 1917, and was posted to Palestine to join the 25th Battalion (Welsh Horse), Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 231 Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. David
was killed in action during the advance towards Jerusalem on 31 October 1917, aged 32. He is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel. David does not appear to be commemorated locally.

World War Two, 1939-1945

Arthur Davies, Private, 11416202, Seaforth Highlanders. Arthur was the son of John James Davies and J. Davies,
of Llanilar. He served with the 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, which landed in Normandy in June 1944 attached to the 15th (Scottish) Division. The division saw heavy fighting in Normandy, and
during the subsequent drive through northern France into Belgium and Holland. Arthur was killed in Holland on 6 November 1944, aged 22 and is buried at Mierlo War Cemetery, Netherlands. Arthur does
not seem to be commemorated locally.

Richard Griffiths, Private, 14615740, Hampshire Regiment. Richard was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth
Griffiths, of Bronant, Llanilar. He served with the 2/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, which moved to North Africa in January 1943 to take part in Operation Torch, as part of the 46th Division. On
9 September 1943 the division took part in the landings at Salerno, and began the move through Italy. Richard was killed at Monte Cassino on 12 May 1944, aged 30, and is buried at Cassino War
Cemetery, Italy. Richard does not seem to be commemorated locally.

Herbert Orlando Peel, Pilot Officer, 116952, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Herbert was born at The
Cottage, Llanilar in 1913. He married Doris Winifred Charleston, of 11, Bodwyn Park, Gresford, at Wrexham in 1942. Herbert was commissioned on 16 February 1942 as a Pilot Officer with the Royal Air
Force, and was posted to 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force. The squadron was a bomber squadron, and flew with No. 5 Group, RAF Bomber Command, and by the time Herbert joined it, was equipped with the Avro
Lancaster, after having just replaced its aging Manchesters. Herbert was lost on operations on 3 September 1942, He was 28 years old, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

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Website News

6 Mar 2018. Some more good news today that yet another Welsh soldier, Thomas David Rees, of Whitchurch, Cardiff, has been accepted as a war casualty
by the CWGC as a result of my work. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for further details.

3 Mar 2018. Good news today that another Welsh soldier, Reginald Wilfred Collard, of Whitchurch, Cardiff, has been accepted as a war casualty by the
CWGC as a result of my work. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for further details.

26 Feb 2018. The second volume of my latest book 'The Welsh at War' has been published today and is available from all good bookshops. Please see the
Steve's Books page for details.

23 Feb 2018. Some good news today that another local man, Gwilym Bennett, of Llanelli, has been accepted as a war casualty by the CWGC as a result of
my work. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for further details.

5 Feb 2018. The first volume of my latest book 'The Welsh at War' has been published today and is available from all good bookshops. Please see the
Steve's Books page for details.

27 Jan 2018. Some good news again, that Thomas Arthur Edward Pugsley, of Ynysboeth, has recently been accepted by the CWGC for commemoration by the
CWGC as a result of my work. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for further details.

22 Jan 2018. I have received news that a sailor from Swansea, James Carne, who I had researched, has been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC as a
result of my work. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for further details.

1 December 2017. A new section has been added to the website, which will cover some war memorials in Glamorgan, more especially the memorials nearest
to the county border with Carmarthenshire. More will be added as time allows.

4 November 2017. Some good news this week following the discovery, after much searching, of the grave of Private Thomas Davies, of Laugharne. Please
see the Forgotten Soldiers page of the website for details.

4 May 2017. Welcome news this morning that a new CWGC headstone has been erected in Laugharne for Domingo
Mobile, a sailor who I found to be buried there a couple of years ago. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for
further details.

8 March 2017. Some more good news today. Another un-commemorated Welsh sailor, Samuel Arthur Griffiths, of
Tredegar, has today been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC as a result of my research. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section
of the website for further details.

8 February 2017. Some more good news today. Another un-commemorated soldier, Llewelyn Owen Roberts, of
Penmaenmawr, has today been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC as a result of my research. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers
section of the website for further details.

7 February 2017. Some more good news today. Another un-commemorated soldier, Isaac Owen, of Seven Sisters, has
today been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC as a result of my research. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website
for further details.

20 December 2016. Some good news today that another uncommemorated soldier, Private Thomas Owen Davies, of
Machynlleth, has been accepted for commemoration by the CWGC following my research. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the
website for further details.

23 November 2016. Some good news today with the acceptance of another Welsh soldier, Percy Griffin Williams, of
the Welsh Horse Yeomanry, for commemoration by the CWGC following my research. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the
website for details.

15 November 2016. I would like to thank the people of Laugharne, especially the members of the Laugharne and
District Historical Society, for their welcome during their recent History Event on Saturday when I visited to make a talk about how researching the Laugharne War Memorial inspired me to create this
website and to begin my writing career. It was a very interesting day and was well attended by the locals.

26 Sep 2016. After a lot of hard work I have finally managed to identify a soldier from Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, Morgan Price James, who since the early
1920’s has been commemorated by the CWGC under the wrong name, James Morgan. Please see the Forgotten Soldiers section of the website for details.